1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to lighters and, more particularly, to piezoelectric lighters for cigarettes and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional piezoelectric cigarette lighter has a fuel tank, with a fuel tank cover and a supply of liquid fuel, usually butane, in the tank. A normally-closed fuel valve mounted on the fuel tank cover is operable to allow fuel to escape from the tank, and a piezoelectric unit, operated by actuation of an actuating knob, is employed to ignite the fuel leaving the fuel valve and, thus, to produce a flame, which is protected by a windshield.backslash. extending around the fuel valve and at least a portion of the flame.
Various means have been proposed in the past for releasibly retaining the actuating knob in a locked position in order to prevent accidental actuation and ignition of the lighter and to make the lighter child-resistant.